Books

First US edition, first printing, presentation copy, inscribed by the author to Al Hart on the front free endpaper: "To Al, my American publisher & conspirator. Ian 1955." Fleming and Hart first met in 1953: Fleming had just published Casino Royale, and Hart was working for Macmillan, which had bought the American rights to the novel and any subsequent instalments in the series. Hart became Fleming's editor for his first seven books he published in the US, as well as "his crony, confidant, and drinking companion on all his subsequent visits to New York" (Pearson, p. 231). Hart made several changes to the series when it was published in the US. For the first paperback edition of Casino Royale, Hart changed the title to the pulp-sounding You Asked for It, writing to Fleming to explain: "the Great Unwashed won't know how to pronounce 'Royale'... If You Asked for It turns your stomach bright green, it might be a good idea to suggest an alternative title or titles" (quoted in Pearson, p. 249). For the US edition of Live and Let Die, Hart deleted several passages he thought racially insensitive; Fleming approved the changes and adopted the amended version for new editions. The dust jacket by Leo Manso is the first to incorporate a skeletal hand into the design, which would later be used to great effect by Richard Chopping in subsequent jackets for the UK editions. Octavo. Original green cloth, spine and front cover lettered in black. With dust jacket, designed by Leo Manso. Head of spine bumped, a little foxing to top edge, pp. 106-7 browned from inserted clipping (an advertisement for the novel in the 3 December 1955 issue of The New Yorker), contents otherwise clean; unclipped jacket slightly rubbed and toned, edges lightly nicked and creased, surface abrasions to front panel: a very good copy in very good jacket. Gilbert A3b(1). John Pearson, The Life of Ian Fleming, 1966.

In 'Moonraker', Ian Fleming's third James Bond novel, the British secret agent uncovers a plot by the enigmatic Sir Hugo Drax, who is building a powerful rocket capable of destroying London. As Bond delves deeper, the danger and betrayal he encounters bring him to the brink of death in this classic espionage thriller.